Bioplastics as a Sustainability Promise: Promises and (Dis)illusionments of a ‘Technological Fix’ in Germany

Yannick Kalff
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Yannick Kalff: HTW Berlin University of Applied Sciences

No zemf6_v2, SocArXiv from Center for Open Science

Abstract: Bioplastics have emerged as a beacon of hope for sustainable alternatives to conventional,petroleum-based plastics. They promise sustainability by technically addressing the issues associated with plastics – waste burden, emissions, and dependence on oil. This makes them a ‘technological fix,’ recommending simple technical solutions to complex challenges but overlooking the intricate reality. The article empirically demonstrates that the disappointments with bioplastics are not solely due to technical reasons but stem from neglected societal, social, economic, or ecological factors. These factors range from the material properties of early bioplastics, monocultures and land competition for the use of renewable resources, to their economic competitiveness. From the technological promise of sustainability and the dashed hopes for bioplastics, it follows that the technological fix fails because it is tied to the path dependencies of fossil plastics. Without social innovations in societal use of plastics, departing from these paths is difficult.

Date: 2026-08-14
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osf:socarx:zemf6_v2

DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/zemf6_v2

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